2007 PREAKNESS STAKES

© 2007 HORSEPHOTOS/NTRA

Curlin (left) gets up at the wire to beat Street Sense (right) in a close finish in The 132nd Running of The Preakness Stakes.

CURLIN RALLIES TO BEAT STREET SENSE IN A PREAKNESS FOR THE AGES

THE PREAKNESS STAKES OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAY 19, 2007

PREAKNESS STAKES (132ND RUNNING)

$1,000,000 GRADE I

PIMLICO RACECOURSE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS

ONE AND THREE-SIXTEENTH MILES

MAIN TRACK: FAST

CURLIN

Winner

132nd Preakness Stakes

Jockey: Robby Albarado

Trainer: Steven Asmussen

Owners: Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton & Midnight Cry Stables

Three Year Old Chestnut Colt - March 25, 2004

Bred by Fares Farm, Inc. (KY)

Smart Strike - Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister

OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH

  22.83, 45.75, 1:09.80, 1:34.68, 1:53.46

Scratched Horses: None

SO CLOSE BUT NO TRIPLE CROWN WINNER IN 2007

May 19, 2007

Preakness Stakes

Pimlico Racecourse: Baltimore, Maryland

Article Posted: 5/22/07

Its been two weeks since Street Sense won the roses at Churchill Downs breaking the Breeders' Cup Derby winners jinx.  For Curlin coming in third in the derby was the first time the colt tasted defeat in his very brief four race career.  Preakness day started out beautiful with sunny skies and temps in the mid 60’s.  But with a little over an hour before the Preakness post the skies turned dark and the rain started.  The track, dry all day, would absorb any moisture and still be fast for the start of the second leg of the 2007 Triple Crown.

The race itself developed as most thought with Xchanger and Flying First Class motoring through the opening half mile in 45.75.  Through the far turn Derby runner-up Hard Spun would take his turn at the front getting six furlongs in 1:09.80.  From the back of the pack Derby winner Street Sense navigated his way through the pack near the rail just like two weeks ago and moved passed Curlin and Hard Spun passing the 3/16 pole as it looked at the top of the lane that we might be looking at a potential Triple Crown winner.  However, when Street Sense made the lead and moved to the rail it looked as if the Derby winner was working harder to keep the lead and Curlin, who was passed at the top of the lane was now coming back on the leader.  In deep stretch Curlin drew alongside Street Sense and did the unthinkable getting his nose on the wire first to win The 132^nd Preakness Stakes in a final time of 1:53.46, tying the stakes record held by previous winners Tank's Prospect (1985) and Louis Quatorze (1996).  Hard Spun would finish third another four lengths back.

Curlin, the Rebel and Arkansas Stakes winner, earned $600,000 for his effort and moved himself to the top of the three-year-old class and a trip for a rematch with second and third place finishers in The Belmont in three weeks if all start in that race.  Curlin’s jockey, Rooby Albarado, would say later that his horse, "It feels awesome (winning The Preakness) "(he) felt like a different horse the first quarter-mile, he felt like different horse the last quarter-mile…The first part of the race he felt like a 2-year-old, the last part of the race he felt like a 5-year-old".  As for the Derby winner, Street Sense, trainer Carl Nafzger would say, "He just got outrun the last part a little bit.”, and admitted his colt "backs out" of the bridle when he makes the lead.  Jockey Calvin Borel would go on to add that "He (Street Sense) pulled up a little bit the last 40 yards, but I can't take anything away from the winner. I went by the winner. I thought I was home free."

In any event the top three finishers of the Derby were the top three finishers of the Preakness and now it is on to the bright lights of Broadway and The Belmont.  It is always somewhat anticlimactic when there is no chance of seeing history made with a new triple crown winner but make no mistake about it there will be plenty of horses to line up thinking they have a shot of winning the mile and one-half race as fresh horses, particularly from tomorrow's Peter Pan in New York will be waiting for the Preakness runners. The notables from the day start with Curlin’s jockey Robby Albarado, who was thrown from Einstein during an accident on the backstretch in the Dixie Handicap earlier on the card. Albarado would return and score his first Triple Crown race win.  Cudos also go to trainer Steve Assumussen who also logged his first Triple Crown race win.  NBC did another fantastic job as the blimp cam was used once again to show spectacular pictures of the race.  Gary Stevens also did some good work talking about Hard Spun clipping heals with Derby winner, Street Sense, in the stretch of the run for the roses.  Let’s hope ABC brings their A game when covering the Belmont in three weeks.  No Triple Crown winner this year, but it will not take away from what will shape up to be a very good race. See you on the sidewalks of New York.  Peace!

For the recap of the race see below.